


Under Control

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, I APOLOGIZE, M/M, one day i'll write something good, there's the tiniest bit of haylor in this, whaoh how did i only mention liam once???, zarry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 21:40:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn had been working at Paul’s for about ten months and Harry had been there for roughly ten of them. In that time the boys had only shared about three conversations (yes, asking for the time and saying ‘thanks’ counted) and nothing really venturing past small talk. He knew he couldn’t honestly say he liked Harry, someone he knew almost nothing about, but he wanted him (that he knew for sure).</p><p>But wanting or not, Zayn was a shy person on regular circumstances and that shyness tripled with people he found attractive, especially people like Harry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under Control

**Author's Note:**

> [first posted under my old/abandoned tumblr handle halosandsongs. don't really want to be associated with this work anymore but i figured i could still leave it out there]
> 
> originally posted on tumblr in dec 2012. loosesly based off the song under control by parachute.  
> i own nothing but my ideas and how i express them.

 

That’ll be $2.65 please.”

Zayn watched, feeling only slightly guilty as the brows of the woman before him furrowed before handing him the money for her peppermint latte. Yeah, it was a bit expensive but Paul’s Coffee was a small business and at the end of the day they needed to make a profit. He turned around to give Perrie the order but caught the green eyes of one Harry Styles on him. The curly haired boy only smiled before directing his attention to the elderly man before him.

The moment was small, tiny,  _miniscule_ , but it had Zayn frazzled once again. He blinked into space before remembering his initial task and relayed the order to a smirking Perrie Edwards. He sent her a meaningful look before redirecting his attention to the register.

Zayn had been working at Paul’s for about ten months and Harry had been there for roughly ten of them. In that time the boys had only shared about three conversations (yes, asking for the time and saying ‘thanks’ counted) and nothing really venturing past small talk. He knew he couldn’t honestly say he liked Harry, someone he knew almost nothing about, but he wanted him (that he knew for sure).

But wanting or not, Zayn was a shy person on regular circumstances and that shyness tripled with people he found attractive, especially people like Harry.

He pulled himself away from those thoughts as he finally handed the woman her minty beverage and made a point to focus on his work to avoid venturing towards the subject again.

…

He was able to stick to his distraction plan surprisingly well and his shift was over before he even realized. He slipped on his jacket and hurriedly sat down for his not-ritual. On Tuesdays ,Thursdays, and Fridays, (that particular day being a Tuesday) he and Harry’s shifts would finish at the same time, though Harry was bit more sluggish than Zayn was and took a little longer to leave. Usually (or until Harry’s mannerisms were noted), Zayn would have left long before Harry even made it into the break room, but after the first time (while Harry was here) Louis had been late meeting him, Zayn politely asked his friend if he could start meeting him five minutes later.

He had only just slipped on his headphones (a shield for awkward questions) when the break room door squeaked and Harry entered.  _Dog is Dead_  played faintly in his ears as it began. Harry moved around the room with languid strides and all Zayn could do was stare. Yes, he was well aware that it was creepy as fuck and though this wasn’t the way it was supposed to go, this was always how his not-ritual played out. What was supposed to happen was Zayn striking up some sort of conversation (to just say something,  _anything_ ) but what ended up happening was Zayn observing Harry’s movements with a watchful eye and directing his attention to his iPod whenever it looked like he would be caught.

Right about this time Louis would show up but it seemed the boy was actually running late this time and now Zayn was starting to feel awkward. He was still watching as Harry flicked his wrist up and brought his forearm up to check his watc. Abruptly the head of curly hair turned towards Zayn and they only caught eyes for a millisecond before Zayn directed his attention to the window, cheeks flaming.

He was surprised to see that it was snowing, though it explained why Louis was later than usual (and this was just fucking great because now he’d have to go out and buy gloves, how he managed to lose one glove of his pair, always one glove every year was beyond him). He didn’t know how long he had been silently ranting but the door opened once again.

He expected Louis but it turned out to be some blonde girl with red lipstick on. He was about to tell her that the break room was employees only but Harry spoke before him.

“Taylor, I was worried the snow would hold you up.”

Normally Zayn was grateful for any time he was graced with the gravelly sound of Harry’s voice but he didn’t quite like the familiarity in his voice when he spoke to this Taylor girl.

The girl only shrugged and stepped towards the door, waiting for Harry to follow. The curly haired boy glanced outside again before he addressed Zayn.

“Hey, you need a ride or something? My friend Taylor’s got her license so she can drop you off,” he furrowed his brow before he continued (and fuck, just fuck. As if being hot wasn’t enough, the boy had to be adorable too) “as long as we don’t need to go on the highway, she hasn’t quite tackled that yet”

Zayn’s mind was racing as he opened and closed his mouth, fighting to speak.

“N-uh, some-“

“Harry.”

The foreign voice, Taylor, called the boy’s name expectantly. Harry held up his index finger, signalling for her to hold on before turning to Zayn.

Zayn only managed to shake his head before the blonde was calling for Harry again. The boy, under pressure, quickly waved to Zayn before following the pushy girl out the door.

He was still staring at the door when he heard chuckling. He turned to find Perrie tying a scarf around her neck and shaking her head.

“Jealous much?”

He grumbled but before he could give the older girl a piece of his mind Louis thrust the door open.

“Sorry I was late, you wouldn’t believe the snow out there. But hey, you got more ogling time right?”

Zayn opened his mouth in protest but Perrie was already guffawing.

“Are you serious, Zayn?”

Zayn ignored her and pushed past Louis in a huff.

“Oh, don’t be upset,” Louis coddled jokingly as he caught up to the dark haired boy. “Plus you’re still walking with me for the next ten minutes”

As much as Zayn wanted to continue to brood, this was Louis, and he needed something to distract him from the cold biting at his toes anyway.

“Whatever.”

Louis grinned triumphantly before launching into a long winded story that Zayn was only half listening to.

…

Their neighbouring homes were in sight when he caught a bit of Louis’ monologue.

“Liam can’t go to Niall’s game ‘cause his grandma’s coming in that day so we’ve got an extra ticket. I was thinking of inviting that Leslie girl. She seems friendly enough, and I really want the stands to be full when Niall looks out you know? But then there’s also-“

“Wait.”

“What?” Louis turned to him in confusion, this being the first time he had actually spoken (as opposed to affirming sounds) since they began walking.

“Don’t invite Leslie.”

“When did you drink the Haterade, Malik?”

“No it’s not- I’m sure she’s great. Just, can I have the extra?”

“Why?”

“Please, Lou.”

His friend’s brows furrowed once more but he conceded with a shrug before departing to his own home.

Zayn didn’t quite know what he planned to do with the ticket (except he kind of did) but he felt a mix of relief and excitement as he stepped into his house.

…

The snow was still spread across the city on Thursday and Louis was running late yet again. The snow also seemed to be slowing down this Taylor girl (he found out from Perrie, at the cost of his pride, that the girl usually picked Harry up when the weather was a bit icky but she was unsure as to what their relationship was) as Harry was sitting on the recliner across from him, clad in his trench coat and tapping away on his phone.

It was a struggle not to outright stare at the boy but Zayn managed to busy himself with alternatively staring at his shoelaces and playing Bejeweled on his phone. At the sound of the door opening, Zayn lifted his eyes from his laces. He started slightly when he instantly caught emerald orbs (and okay what? There was no way he imagined that one).

After a few moments he was able to extract himself from the eye lock but in the place of his feather haired friend, he found Perrie sauntering into the room.  
  
"Harry, your girlfriend’s outside."  
  
Zayn watched intently as Harry’s brows reached for each other, “What?” before realization dawned on him, “oh Taylor?” He laughed. “We aren’t dating”  
  
For some unknown reason (except maybe to just fuck with Zayn’s head) he glanced at Zayn before he got up and slipped behind Perrie and out the door.  
  
Two seconds after the door clicked shut, Perrie addressed him with a “You’re welcome” before getting ready herself.  
  
Zayn could kiss her, but of course he didn’t because he had to keep at least  _some_  things under control. (He allowed a grateful smile though)  
  
…  
  
Okay, today was the day. The spare ticket was burning in his pocket as his shift neared a close. Sometime between getting the ticket and that morning (read: Ever since Louis mentioned it), Zayn had been determined to ask Harry. It’s not like it was a big deal or anything, he’d just ask really nonchalantly and if he said no then whatever and if he said yes then that was cool too.  
  
As any other Friday, both boys finished their shift at the same time and were in the break room preparing to leave. Well, Harry was preparing to leave; Zayn was preparing to go out on a limb for once in his sorry life. His fingers shook as he struggled to zip up his jacket and the ticket felt heavy in his pocket.  
  
"H-hey" Zayn squeezed his eyes shut and mentally berated himself for sounding so nervous.  
  
Harry glanced at him and almost responded but thought better of it and looked around for who else Zayn could be talking to (Zayn didn’t quite blame him, it wasn't like they spoke often). When he found there was no one else in the room, he answered.  
  
"Oh, hey."  
  
Zayn sputtered, he didn’t think he’d make it this far to be honest.  
  
"Uh-how are you?"

  
( _God_  he was lame)  
  
"Pretty good I guess… gotta go buy a new hat for this weather though. I seem to lose them every year."  
  
Zayn grinned. “So I’m not the only one then. Well, for me it’s one glove. Always one glove.” He schooled his face into a serious expression. “I’m convinced my dryer had a hand in it.”  
  
The room went silent for a moment and Zayn was about to reprimand himself for being weird when Harry responded in an equally somber tone.  
  
"As if the socks weren’t enough."  
  
Both boys laughed and were able to carry an easily flowing conversation and yeah, Zayn could get used to this but he knew that they would be interrupted soon and he would prefer asking his question without an audience.  
  
"Um, hey," Zayn started, trying to calm his heart rate as Harry focused all his attention on him. "My friend Niall’s got a hockey game tomorrow, would you maybe-I mean if you have time because it’s kind of short notice but- would you want to come?"  
  
The room went silent once more and Zayn braced himself for a disappointing rejection.

  
Instead, Harry allowed a small smile as he nodded.  
  
"Yeah sure, that sounds like fun. Let me just put my number in your phone so you can text me the details."  
  
Zayn watched in disbelief as Harry picked up Zayn’s phone and tapped in his number.  
  
…  
  
There was a chorus of cheers as they spotted Niall in the lobby of the rink.  
  
Louis and Zayn congratulated their friend briefly, Harry giving an awkward wave, before the blond joined the rest of his team for their post game celebration.  
  
"Give me a second. Just have to go use the bathroom," Louis said to Zayn but his eyes danced with laughter, glancing at Harry’s back before wagging his eyebrows. Zayn huffed as his friend scurried to the men’s room.  
  
The evening had been better than Zayn expected, Harry initially shadowing Zayn out of shyness but eventually fitting in quite nicely with his friends.  
  
"Taylor going to pick you up?" Zayn asked, looking to fill the silence.  
  
"Uh, no actually. I don’t live too far from here."  
  
"Oh, cool, cool."

  
Zayn was being awkward again, he knew it.

  
"Today was fun. Your friend’s really good"  
  
"Niall?" Zayn smiled. "Yeah, he’s pretty awesome. But don’t tell him I said that, he’s cocky enough as it is."  
  
Harry chuckled “Note taken. But really, thanks for inviting me.” Rushing, he went on. “it’s the first time we’ve really hung out as friends so…”  
  
Friends. That was more than Zayn could have ever hoped for. He should probably stop there, let it stay that way for now.  
  
(But screw it, he wasn’t going to)  
  
"Yeah, you could look at it that way. But I’m still going to say it was our first date."  
  
Silence stretched between them and regret pooled in his gut. What the fuck was he thinking? (this going out on a limb thing was getting dangerous). He tentatively turned his head to the left, hoping Harry didn’t look too horrified.  
  
He found a slow smile spreading across Harry’s face, eyes dancing.  
  
"Yeah," his smile stretched even more, "that sounds good."

 

**Author's Note:**

> aha...sorry.
> 
> thanks for reading anyway :)


End file.
